Congress Protests Over NEET Leak Outside PM Residence

The Congress on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi, escalating its campaign over the alleged NEET paper leak. Senior party leaders gathered at the protest site, demanding action from the Union government and raising concerns over the handling of the examination controversy.

The demonstration followed a tense day in the national capital after a Chalo Parliament protest on Monday turned confrontational. Protesters reportedly attempted to cross security barricades and move towards Parliament, prompting police intervention. The situation escalated with the use of lathi charge and tear gas, leading to clashes in which several students sustained injuries.

Led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Members of Parliament and other senior leaders, the party held a sit in protest near the Prime Minister’s residence. Several leaders wore symbolic handcuffs while accusing the government of suppressing the voices of students.

Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi said students demanding justice should not face police action. He criticised the alleged use of force against young protesters and called on the Prime Minister to respond to their concerns. Rahul urged the government to introduce meaningful reforms in the education system and said students deserved answers instead of silence.

During the protest, the Congress demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and also sought accountability from the central leadership over the examination issue.

Amid the demonstration, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan met Rahul Gandhi and held discussions for nearly thirty minutes. They appealed to the Congress leadership to end the protest peacefully. However, Rahul Gandhi maintained that the agitation would continue until the party’s demands were addressed.

The Congress placed five key demands before the government. These included the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, a discussion in Parliament on student related issues, a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the NEET paper leak, an investigation into the violence reported in Delhi, and financial compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.

Following the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Jitendra Singh left to brief Amit Shah regarding the discussions held during the protest.